Tankopedia
InterwarMediumMedium TankUnited States

Christie M1931

In service 1931 (limited) - Mid-1930s

Walter Christie convertible high-speed tank - the design the Soviet BT series and British cruisers were built from.

Built byUS Wheel Track Layer Corporation

Christie M1931
Christie M.1931 at Rahway — US Army personnel, via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Development history

Christie long-travel coil-spring suspension and light, powerful convertible layout allowed road speeds no other tank of 1931 approached. The US Army bought only seven, as Ordnance disliked the suspension and Christie disliked committees, but two hulls sold to the Soviet Union became the BT-2 and through it the whole BT line and the T-34 running gear, while another sold to Britain produced the A13 cruiser. Few vehicles have had so much influence on so little production.

Variants

One canonical record, 3 recorded variants.

  1. T3 Medium Tank (US Army)

    1931

    Seven vehicles bought by the US Army for trials.

  2. BT-2 (Soviet licence)

    1932

    Soviet development of two purchased hulls, the start of the BT line.

  3. A13 pattern hull (British)

    1936

    Christie hull supplied to Nuffield, leading to the British cruiser tanks.

Notable actions

  • Trials and demonstrations only